


Moonbeams in The Dark

by TheChocoChick



Series: By All The Stars Of Heaven [2]
Category: Final Fantasy, Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Astrology Stories, Budding Relationship, Dinner dates, F/M, Falling In Love, First Dates, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Impromptu dancing, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Paired with Another Work, Pen names, Pet Names, Ravus can run an army with ease, Ravus doesn't know how to talk to women, Ravus fights REAL monsters, Ravus internally freaks out about everything and you cant tell me otherwise, Ravus is secretly really awkward, Romance, Seal of Girlfriend Approval from beyond the grave, Stargazing, Tags Are Hard, Tags May Change, We'll see where this goes..., being ADORABLE tbh, but he freaks out over dinner, if you want Angst it’s in the other fic, impromptu dates, learning how to flirt, leaving notes, like social awkwardness, unapologetic fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-13
Updated: 2018-08-25
Packaged: 2019-06-27 01:21:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,898
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15675174
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheChocoChick/pseuds/TheChocoChick
Summary: A collection of scenes corresponding with my other work "When All Other Lights Go Out". They center around Ravus and my OC Ezania, as most of their scenes just aren't going to be able to be worked into the main story. Enjoy!





	1. Crossing The Bridge

**Author's Note:**

> Again- this is a companion work. The main plot is in "When All Other Lights Go Out", which is the first in this series. This picks up in conjunction with chapter 17 in that work:) Enjoy!

            Armed with only a small arrangement of Sylleblossoms from the courtyard’s greenhouse, he was marching to his doom, crossing the bridge into the unknown. He was sure of it. The woman was going to take one look at him and laugh him away. He’d never be able to show his face in her war council again out of sheer embarrassment.

            This was ridiculous. He was being utterly ridiculous. He should just turn on his heel and forget all about it. As he’d told the young king’s advisor not two days ago- he had no time and she no patience for romance. But the cool words of his family’s divine messenger stuck in his head.

            _“When darkness falls, you will regret not enjoying the time you had in the light.”_

            He wasn’t sure if Gentiana had been referring to his reluctance of approaching the rebel leader specifically or about his life in general, but the words rang true either way. She fixated his thoughts without trying, and it would be better, in the long run, to put things out now in the relative peace of the moment than try to hash it out once the war inevitably picked up again.

            So why did he hesitate with his hand poised to knock on her door?

            Ravus Nox Fleuret had lived the majority of his life in hell on earth, seen the horrors of the Nifelhiem Empire firsthand, and fought in a war to end all wars. Every day had been spent in greater fear and despair than the one before it.

            How paltry that remembered terror felt in comparison to _this_.

            He would strike down a thousand wayward demons the Chancellor sicked on him for fun if it would give him the courage to follow through with his hastily formed plan. It was just an invitation. Surely he could handle speaking to one of the most beautiful women he’d ever met for a few minutes. He most definitely assuredly could…right?

            He was being an _idiot_. It shouldn’t be this hard! Knock on the door, say hello when she answers, give her the flowers, and invite her to dinner- it was that simple. It was _so simple_! Just do it. Just knock.

            Just forget about the whole thing and go back to the apartment.

            No, no! He could do this. He was _going_ to do this. He was a damn army commander- he dealt with worse than this all the time. He took a breath and quickly rapped his knuckles on the door before the courage left him for good, careful to twist his hand so the Sylleblossoms’ petals wouldn’t get crushed.

            A panic-filled moment passed in which Ravus wanted to shamelessly run away before the door swung open to reveal the pretty blonde hair and grey eyes he’d come to care for. Commander Ezania was only in half of her activewear, the absence of her dark green jacket leaving the white tank top she wore underneath to stand stark against her tan skin.

            “Good morning Ravus,” she smiled as she finished twisting her hair into a braid. “It’s a bit soon for a status update, don’t you think?”

            “A good morning to you as well,” he said, feeling a bit flustered. “I do hope you’ll forgive the early hour, but I had hoped to speak to you before your duties took up your day.”

            “This couldn’t wait until the meeting with everyone?”

            “It does not concern the others,” Ravus said, shifting his weight nervously. “Rather, it is a matter of… personal import.” She looked at him expectantly, and he stiffly held out the flowers. “These are for you.”

            “Oh.” She gingerly took them from him with a small confused smile. “Thanks?”

            “Pardon my awkwardness; I’ve no experience in things like this.”

            “Things like this?”

            “That is, well…” He gulped down the knot forming in his throat. He was too far in to back out now. “I should like you to join me for a meal tonight. That is if it pleases you, and you are available. I should hate to be an inconvenience otherwise.”

            “You’re asking me to dinner?” She blinked, clearly surprised by the notion.

            “You work so tirelessly,” Ravus started, feeling his nerves settle a bit when she didn’t immediately reject the idea. “I thought perhaps you would enjoy an evening where wars and rebellions can be put to the side for a moment. And… I won’t deny that I enjoy your company.”

            She fiddled with the small ribbon tying the stems of the flowers together, not quite meeting his gaze.

            “Is this a dinner as friends?” she finally asked, still toying with the bouquet.

            “If that is what you wish it to be,” Ravus said, feeling ice settle in his chest.

            “What do you want it to be, Ravus?”

            “As I said- I enjoy your company. And I will take however much of it you are willing to give me, in whatever form you desire.”

            “And when should I be meeting you for dinner?”

            A small sigh of relief swept out from him, the tension in his shoulders sagging. “Shall we say seven? At my apartments?”

            “Then it’s a date,” she smiled.

            Leaving her to finish getting ready, he felt like he was walking on clouds as he made his way down the hall to go about his business.

***

            There was nothing to cook.

            Astrals above, how could he invite Ezania to dinner without making sure they actually had something to eat! How amateur! Granted, the whole thing had been a rather impromptu burst of emotions getting the better of him, but still. It didn’t change the fact that he wanted this to go smoothly.

            Ravus briefly entertained the idea of asking Ignis for help, the man was a culinary genius by all accounts, but he quickly shoved the thought away. This was his invitation- he wanted to be the one to provide everything. Maybe someone in the kitchens would be willing to spare a few ingredients…

            With his tasks for the day completed, he was free to fret over the dinner arrangements all afternoon. It was a little difficult to move the furniture by himself, but eventually he had it situated the way he wanted for that evening.

            Not too long after a few of the cooks stopped by with the few things they’d been able to muster up for him, apologizing for not having more and thankfully not asking why he needed them. He wasn’t too sure they’d take kindly to the former Nifelhiem High Commander trying to court their own general.

            Leaving the food in the oven to cook, he quickly showered and fixed his hair, only to be presented with a strange dilemma.

            What on Eos was he supposed to wear?

            The regular thin military coat was in shambles after using it as a stretcher for Ignis, and its winter counterpart was far too heavy to be worn indoors regardless of the sharp appearance it gave him. However, wearing just his black shirt seemed like it wasn’t nice enough.

            There were boxes in the corner of his room that housed a few belongings he carried with him from Fenestala Manor. A quick search through them only revealed more plain tops he would have worn under his uniform and a few pairs of spare pants. Did he not have a single dress shirt? Apparently not. He heaved a sigh and cast a glance at the clock reading six forty. He didn’t have time to be vain it seemed as he snatched up an outfit and went to finish preparations.

***

            By the time seven thirty rolled around, he was pacing and micro-adjusting everything he could think of. The silverware was crooked, the tablecloth needed evening out, one candle was burning brighter than the other two- it was driving him mad.

            She was coming. She had to be coming. She was just running late, that was all.

            The thin light grey thermal was a little too high in the collar for his taste, which he now remembered was why he didn’t wear it too often in the first place, but it was the nicest of his logical options. Did it look strange on him? Was the sleeve that he tucked inside for lack of an arm making any weird lines? Did it wash out his face? Mother had always said grey colors were his best friends or worst enemies when it came to fashion.

            His fretting turned back to the table. Were the tea candles too much? The candles were too much- get rid of the candles. No, now the middle looked empty and he has nothing to go there. Okay, put the candles back. That one is still brighter than the others, damn it.

            Was the food staying warm? He’d left it in the slowly cooling oven, but what if that was making it dry? Would she even like what he had made? He should have asked if she had a preference. He should have-

            No. Calm down. This was fine, everything was going to be totally fine. She was a fine young woman and he was a respectable man. They were going to sit down like adults and have a nice meal to test the waters of a potential courtship. So Ezania was late- it wasn’t as though she didn’t have her share of work on the base. And he had all night to wait for her; his work was done until the next morning.

            He was fussing over his appearance in the mirror again when the clock chimed eight and a knock came at his door. He tried to seem calm and collected when he opened it, cracking a smile at the blonde standing in the early winter chill on the other side.

            “I’m so sorry I’m late,” Ezania sighed, out of breath. “My meetings went longer than I planned for and I didn’t have anyone to bring a message.”

            “You’re a busy woman,” he smiled. “And I’d rather you arrive late than not arrive at all.”

            “That would be unfortunate,” she laughed as she followed him inside. “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.”

            “As have I.” He offered to take her coat, hanging it on a hook next to the door before pulling out her chair. Of course, now that she was here, his mind couldn’t help but wonder if he’d overdone things by rearranging the room. Granted, it left the table alone in the center, gently casting firelight from the candles into the corners of the room. It was… intimate. Was that too much for a first date? “Come, sit. I’ll get the food.”

            “Would you like help?” she offered, pausing by the chair.

            “I invited you here to rest,” he smiled. “I’ll manage, but thank you.”

            Ezania gave a small nod as she settled into the seat as he moved into the kitchen. His heart was beating a million miles a second as he pulled things out and portioned onto the plates. He’d never much cared for producing aesthetically pleasing food, but he found himself trying to lay everything _just so_ under the drizzle of sauce anyway. It couldn’t hurt, right?

            He loaded the plates onto a tray with two glasses and a bottle of wine before heading back to the other room. Ezania sat patiently with her hands folded in her lap while he set everything out, offering a smile when he came around to join her across the table.

            “It looks wonderful,” she complimented.

            “I hope you enjoy it,” he said.

            There was an awkward lull in the room as they started eating. What was he supposed to say? Wasn’t it rude to talk while you were eating?

            “I have to thank you again for inviting me,” Ezania said as she sipped at her wine. “It comes at the best time it could.”

            “Is that so?” Her statement piqued his curiosity while also blessedly breaking the quiet.

            “My captains have been driving me up the wall lately,” she explained. “I’ve been thinking I could use a break for a while now.”

            “I’m happy to oblige you,” he said, raising his own glass before taking a swig. “I’ve, well, I’ve been trying to work up the nerve to ask you over for quite some time.”

            “Truly?”

            “Yes,” he admitted with an embarrassed chuckle. “But with everything that’s been happening… I never felt like it was the right time.”

            “And what made this morning different?”

            “The realization that there would never be a perfect time. I would have always been nervous to ask, but I must act while I can before the opportunity is taken away. I am glad you accepted.”

            “While you are not an unattractive man, Ravus, I don’t intend to hold your attention for very long. I am excited for an evening where I can rest easy, but I'm afraid you’ll grow quite bored with me after a short while.”

            “I sincerely doubt that, but I suppose only time shall tell.”

            The conversation started to flow more easily after that, the pair laughing as the plates emptied followed by the wine bottle. There was a pleasant flush to their skin as they talked over the now bare table settings.

            The topics of conversation ranged far and wide. They spoke of their homes; the majority of Ezania’s life had been spent beyond the mountains where the resistance sprung to life, her uncle whisking her away after her parents were taken by the Empire. She showed an exuberant interest in his life during his time in Tenebrae, wishfully stating she had always wanted to visit as a child. It was cathartic for him to talk about the times when he and Lunafreya were young- careless and free in a childhood world were the biggest problem was who got the last tart from Cook.

            They both started when the clock chimed eleven, the time having sneakily ticked away while they were lost in each other’s company.

            “Forgive me,” Ravus laughed. “I did not mean to keep you so late.”

            “Its fine,” she said, waving her hand in dismissal as they both stood. “I would have been up this late working in my office either way.”

            He walked her to the door, handing her back her jacket and stepping outside to see her off. Winter brought small snowy flakes swirling through the air, quieting the world and giving them a sense of privacy.

            “I enjoyed this,” Ezania said softly, pulling the collar of her heavy coat closer. “Perhaps we can do it again sometime.”

            “I would like that,” he said, a large smile pulling at his lips.

            She denied his offer to walk her back before saying farewell and walking away into the white. He watched until well after she had faded from view.

            She was open to seeing him like this again. Yes… yes, he would like that very much.


	2. A Story In The Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a first time for everything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need to write on this some more because I am being SO MEAN to Ravus in the main fic right now.

            It was a cold night. Ravus pulled his jacket tighter as he stared through the glass walls into the wintery evening, briefly feeling jealous of the Lucians. There would still only be the earliest hint of fall on their continent. Meanwhile, he was here- on the outskirts of a semi-permanently frozen wasteland. There was a smug satisfaction though, knowing their king and his retainers were somewhere around here suffering with him.

            “Hey Viggio,” someone said as they opened the hatch on the watchtower. “Just checking in to-“ Ezania cut off at the sight of the platinum-haired man inside the lookout. “You’re not Viggio.”

            “No,” Ravus agreed with a smile. “The man has taken to his bed. The chill seems to have been too much for him, so I agreed to take his watch until a suitable replacement can be found.”

            “I told him he should have found someone to trade nights with,” Ezania sighed from her opening in the floor. “You aren’t too cold up here, are you?”

            “Thankfully, I have proper clothing for nights in Nifelhiem,” he answered.

            “Well I’m going to leave this with you anyway,” she said, hoisting a heavy fur blanket up onto the floor as she crawled the rest of the way through the hatch. “Don’t be too proud to use it later if you need it. It’s supposed to drop into the negatives tonight, and the glass up here may stop the snow but it isn’t very good about keeping warm.”

            “I’ve noticed,” he chuckled.

            “Have you seen anything interesting?”

            “Thus far it has been only myself and the stars.”

            “No sign is a good sign,” Ezania chuckled, making her way back to the sloped ladder.

            “Commander?” Ravus called after her, pausing her movements as she sat on the lip of the hatch. “It was nice to see you.”

            “And you as well,” she smiled. “Will you be up here all night?”

            “My relief comes at half past midnight.”

            “Perfect,” she said, and then slid down the rungs and out of sight.

***

            Several hours passed by with nothing happening, save Ravus pacing back and forth inside the mostly glass box. Thankfully, the skies were clear and no snow settled on the panes. He might go mad if everything were to be blocked in white. His thoughts strayed from the task at hand, going back to a much more enjoyable thought concerning a particular pair of grey eyes glowing in the candlelight. Ezania had been stopping by more and more frequently, always staying for a while to talk before they had to attend to separate duties. They’d had dinner together almost every night that week, granted most of them were filled with bland meals from the rations center. He quite liked seeing her so often, and that knot in the back of his throat didn’t swell as much when she stood close to him and spoke anymore.

            The hatch creaked open again, the familiar head of blonde braided hair popping up through the entrance with a grin, almost like his thoughts had summoned her.

            “Would you mind some company?” she asked slightly breathless.

            “Your presence is always welcomed,” he said, moving from where he leaned against the railing to take a precariously balanced basket from her hands. She pulled another large blanket up, similar to the one she’d brought before and spread it out on the cold metal floor before sitting down.

            “I used to come up here a few nights a week when it was Tori’s patrol box. Viggio prefers to be left alone though, so I haven’t had the chance for a while,” she said, pulling a thermos and two cups out from under the cover on the basket. “Tea?” she offered, patting the ground next to her.

            “Tea sounds divine,” Ravus admitted, gratefully accepting a mug of the heated liquid.

            “I’m going to guess there still haven’t been any signs of trouble?”

            Ravus shook his head, sipping at the beverage. Gods above, maybe there were such things as small mercies. The tea’s warmth pulled the edge off the cold and warmed him from inside to out, just like it had when mother would take him and Lunafreya for walks in the beautiful Tenebraen winters.

            “Why do you like coming up here?” he asked, settling down on the blanket beside her.

            “The view, of course,” she chuckled, pulling the other blanket down and wrapping it around her shoulders. “The sky, in particular. This is the best place in the whole fort to look at the stars.”

            “So you’re a sky gazer,” he hummed, sipping his drink again. “My sister was quite fond of the stars herself, particularly the constellations of Shiva.”

            “You can’t see those from here,” Ezania said with a little sigh. “These stars all have lesser constellations, like Izahniaa and Thoro.”

            “I am ashamed to admit I’ve no knowledge of the stars beyond those relating directly to the Hexathon.”

            “Ravus,” she mocked gasped, putting a hand to her chest. “Blood of the Oracle, and you don’t know the Cosmogony story of Izahniaa and Thoro?”

            “No?”

            “Ugh, you’re hopeless,” she teased, bumping him with her shoulder. “Granted I probably only know it so well because Izahniaa is the inspiration of my name. I used to pester my uncle to tell it to me every night before I’d go to bed.”

            “Perhaps I should consent to be educated then,” he smiled, leaning to rest on his forearm.

            “Look there,” Ezania said, leaning in close and pointing to a cluster of bright stars in the sky. “That line there is a bow, the curve is her spine, and that little flick over there is her arm pulling back on the string.”

            “So Izahniaa is an archer,” Ravus hummed, feeling his skin prickle under his coat as they leaned in close together.

            “Yes,” she smiled. “And that group up over there is Thoro. See? Those three are his shoulders, and you follow it down to his sword, and if you go out from the hilt and across the line of his torso the oval shape is his shield.”

            “I thought that group was part of the lion and lamb constellation.”

            “It is. That’s part of their story.”

            “And what story is that? Why, pray tell, are Izahniaa and Thoro so important as to grace the sky?”

            “Well,” she chuckled, taking on the air of a storyteller. “The fables say that they lived in the first days of man when the star was small and the Gods hadn’t created the rest of the world yet. Izahniaa came from a tribe of strong warriors, and Thoro from a band of courageous knights. Both factions were constantly fighting over who had a right to the land, which at the time was the entirety of the world. But one day, they met. And as was the fashion of their peoples, they fought.”

            “And then what happened,” Ravus asked, brushing a finger across her knuckles.

            “They fought so equally that the fight couldn’t be won by either of them. Because of this, they had a grudging respect for each other, and they would meet again and again to try and beat the other. But they never could. So eventually they stopped trying, and their hard-earned respect became a friendship.

            “But then a dark sorcerer emerged,” she continued dramatically. “And he wanted to have everything for himself. So he tried to turn Izahniaa and Thoro against each other to create a mutually assured destruction, but it backfired. They fought together to beat him, and strong and courageous as they were, of course they would win, because the good guys always win in stories, right?”

            “Of course,” Ravus smiled, enjoying the tale she spun for him.

            “Well the sorcerer didn’t think so,” she said, casting him an impish grin. “So just before he was defeated, he spun the last of his magic into a spell. And as Thoro brought down his blade and Izahniaa loosed her arrow, they were changed.”

            “Changed?”

            “Changed,” she said somberly. “The sword and shield fell to the earth next to a bow and quiver as the sorcerer turned one of them into a lion and the other into a lamb. He said they would never work together to beat him now because it was in their instincts for a predator to attack prey.”

            “So that’s how they're connected to the other constellation. What happened after that?” he asked, surprisingly caught up in the twist.

            “They bested him anyway,” she giggled. “The lamb kicked away his staff and head-butted the sorcerer before the lion ate him. In the resulting commotion, however, they got separated. Without them there to keep things in line, their tribes started fighting again and it spread through the world. And it is said that Thoro and Izahniaa now wander the stars, each in search of the other, and when they are together again they’ll rest in friendship, proving peace can exist between even the most different of natures.”

            “That _is_ a good story,” Ravus hummed, shifting as he looked at the constellations again. Yes, he could see how the humanoid forms bled in and shared stars with the animal ones now. “Which one do you think is which?” he asked quietly.

            “I don’t know,” Ezania said, leaning slightly up against his side. “The story never says which one turns into what, and even the stars converge into a muddled mess before the transition. So I guess we’ll never know.”

            “I think she is the lion, and he is the lamb,” he said after a moment.

            “What makes you think that?” she laughed, pouring more tea for the two of them.

            “Well you are named after Izahniaa,” he smiled, setting the cup down in favor of twisting the end of her braid around his fingers. “And your hair is golden, like a lion. It must be your namesake giving you the answer.”

            “Mmmm, did your sister teach you to divine signs like that, or is it just a natural Ravus talent?”

            “Maybe I’m just trying to impress and amuse you,” he said, leaning in slightly.

            “ _Maybe_ it’s working,” she smiled, meeting his gaze. “But if I am Izahniaa I guess that means you have to be Thoro, with that pretty white hair of yours.”

            “Are you going to eat me then?”

            “No, lions only eat evil sorcerers, weren’t you listening?”

            He laughed, pressing their foreheads together with a smile.

            “Forgive me, I must have been too distracted by the stars in your eyes to focus on the ones in the sky.”

            “Mmhmm. Real smooth.”

            “Thank you, I’ve been practicing.”

            He bumped their noses together, smiling softly. He was glad he hadn’t stumbled over his words like the last several times he’d attempted to suavely flirt. Ezania was always so quick with her wit, and as they settled into a rhythm around each other he was finding it easier and easier to keep on par. That nervous tingle still lingered in the back of his mouth, but it was no longer the crushing vise he’d fought against when he’d first invited her to dinner. Astrals that felt like so long ago…

            “Are you going to kiss me, Ravus?” she murmured into their shared airspace, her grey eyes catching the moonlight. That was even better than the candlelight he’d been thinking about earlier.

            “Would you like me to?”

            “Maybe.”

            “Then _maybe_ I will,” he grinned. “Here, with just you and I in the light of the moon.”

            “I think I’d like that,” she breathed.

            “Mmmm, as would I,” he smiled, tilting his head slightly and letting his eyelids start to close.

            Despite the desire, he felt his mouth go dry as they inched closer, pausing with lips just a breath away. He’d never kissed anyone save for his mother and sister on the cheek. Twenty-eight years and only now he was initiating a _proper_ kiss. He gulped down a breath before letting his eyes slide the rest of the way shut and gently pressing his mouth to hers.

            He hadn’t been expecting fireworks or a sudden realization of _The One_ like those silly novels Lunafreya had been obsessed with as a child, but the kiss was nice all the same. He wasn’t sure if it came quickly in their courtship or how long was appropriate before requesting such a thing, but right then, at that moment, maybe it didn’t matter. Maybe they didn’t need to worry about the war hanging over their heads, or the darkness creeping in to overpower the sun. Maybe they didn’t need to be a rebel general or a prince without a throne.

            Maybe, just maybe, in that moment they could just be two people under the stars.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Godddddd I love them so much. Rav is finally getting the hang of being flirty around women and they just MESH. ugh, be still my heart what sort of loving, kind, healing monstrosity have I created?


	3. All The Ways to Say I Miss You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Is it a rom-com style scene montage of relationship-developing moments? Why yes... yes it is.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The office scene was totally written to the theme of La La Land. If you were wondering:)

            The next several days were a flurry of activity. With the Empire acting up along the edge of the borderlands more and more often, he was being pulled in to discuss strategies more often than not.

            Papers and meetings took up most of their time. Unfortunately, they were never in the same meetings or discussing the same papers, so for six days Ravus hardly saw Ezania at all. There was a brief moment here and there that they would pass each other on the grounds and nod a quick hello before being whisked apart again. There were no cell towers in the area compatible with his devices, so he couldn’t send a message to talk that way either.

            When he was needed, of course he devoted his focus to the task. But he couldn’t help but wonder in the quiet calms betwixt the storms what Ezania was up to. Was she having a good day? Was the work overwhelming her? Was Captain Furg pestering her about outrageous plans again?

            All these thoughts and more swirled around in his head as he walked from the war rooms back to his apartments. The few vestiges of the last snow storm crunched under his boots as he walked up to his door. He curiously picked up a note that had been stuck between the door and the jamb, unfolding it as he walked inside.

_I convinced the captains to give me a minute. Dinner at mine tonight? Six? Hope to see you there._

_-Lion_

            A smile spread on his lips while he closed the door behind him. He had planned on inviting Ignis over for a meal, but this was much too good an opportunity to pass up. A glance at the clock showed five fifteen- just enough time to shower off and get changed before heading out.

***

            After dinner, it was straight back into the fray. Ezania’s captains and generals were pushing to make a strike of their own before the Empire elected to investigate the forest further in search of Ravus and Noctis, both of which had been seen and reported during their excursion before going to the Glacian.

            It was during one of these strategy meetings that Ravus found himself leaning against the wall with a pen and notebook. It was a little tricky to jot down notes with just one hand, but he managed. Things were mostly serious and productive, the group coming up with several possible plans that could work with his assistance and knowledge of the enemy’s inner workings.

            Then, as the meeting wound down to a close that six-damned old loon Furg and his lieutenant started on their tirade of how they should just _drop_ the stolen airships on Gralea, _again_. What utterly pointless, wasteful, irritating, _stupid_ nonsense was that?

            But he noticed her scowl, the tension in her shoulders, and the tired circles under her eyes. She was stressed enough without the ravings of a madman and his one supporter. And well, that simply wouldn’t do, now would it? He was conveniently next to one of the coat racks, and as the men caused a ruckus he wrote on a fresh page of paper and quietly ripped it out before sliding it into the pocket of one very distinct green jacket.

            With a projected “good day, gentlemen” from her stand, Ezania effectively dismissed the lot of them soon afterward, not giving a care that she interrupted a communion to the realms of senile insanity. Honestly, why she kept that man around was beyond him.

            He grabbed his heavy coat from the stand by the door and moved his way back into the corner, taking his time to fold the sleeve neatly inside, watching as the other members of the council gathered their things and shuffled away. She threw her jacket on, sliding her hands into her pockets before a confused look crossed her features and she pulled out a folded piece of notebook paper.

            He grinned when she cast a look over the exiting mass in his direction. And then there it was- the small smile he’d hoped to tease out of hiding. She mouthed her thanks, and he nodded that he understood before being swept out into the hall with the rest of her advisors.

            Maybe he couldn’t stop old men from being pests, and maybe he couldn’t help carry the burdens of her position, but he could do his best to lift her spirits.

***

            And so began their own private note campaign. The small table beside his front door slowly began filling with scraps of paper from _Lion_ and for each one there was a reply from _Lamb_ somewhere in Ezania’s suite or office. When his work around the base left him feeling particularly drained, he’d sit on the couch late at night and leaf through them again. Most were regular drivel, such as _I miss you_ ’s and _Don’t work too hard_ ’s, but they brightened his days all the same.

            He found himself waking up earlier to give time for writing a few cards in the mornings to put in his coat in case they should briefly cross paths around the grounds. They were small enough that he could hide one in his palm and slip it into hers with a small handshake. She seemed to find it amusing, flashing her teeth whenever she felt one lurking in his hand, so he kept going. Astrals knew that woman needed bright spots lately.

            _Lion_ usually left notes paperclipped to documents he was requested to read and report back to the council on, sometimes they were stuck into the tiny gap between his door and the frame, and on more than one occasion he’d been surprised to find them taped to some object in his apartments after she’d stopped by to visit.

            This one was blatantly left out on his coffee table. She must have put it there when she dropped in to leave some reports while he was out with the captains inspecting the ships.

            _Come see me in my office tonight if you’ve got time. I’m leaving in the morning with Cap Tueli for a few days to meet the commander of the sister base and want to see you before I go._

_-Yours, Lion_

That burned into his mind as he hurried to finish what was left of the day’s work.

            _Yours, Lion…_

***

            The mountain of papers on her desk was finally diminishing as Ravus quietly let himself into Ezania’s office. She didn’t see him at first, busy as she was reading the reports her generals had been giving her. He took a moment to watch as she flipped a pen through the fingers of one hand, the other propped up next to her head, the middle finger dragging slowly over the edge of her thumb. He could see it in her eyes when her mind started to wander. They unfocused, leaving her staring holes into the papers without absorbing any of the information. How utterly adorable.

            “Care for a break?”

            She started slightly, looking up from her work with a smile.

            “How long have you been standing there?” she chuckled, setting her pen down and coming around the side of the desk to give him a quick hug.

            “Not nearly long enough,” he said with a grin when she pulled away. “Granted I don’t think I could ever tire of basking in your beauty.”

            “Flatterer,” she smiled, playfully hitting his chest.

            “Is it flattery if it is true?”

            “Mmmm, doesn’t matter,” she hummed with a smirk, winding her arms around his neck.

            “Doesn’t it?” he asked, letting his hand settle on her waist. “But I suppose you’re right, we can argue semantics later.”

            “It’s a good thing you’ve got a pretty voice,” she said lightheartedly. “Otherwise I might get annoyed.”

            “You find my voice attractive?” he teased, pulling her closer as they swayed lightly.

            “I’ve been rather obvious that I find you attractive on the whole, haven’t I?”

            “Well you have never informed me if you _dislike_ anything, but I suppose that would be different.”

            “We can argue semantics later,” she imitated.

            “Touché, my dear.”

            She laughed as she leaned in to rest her head his shoulder. Astrals above, he loved having her close like this, especially after so long without really _seeing_ each other. He had missed this soft, serene quiet in his mind that only came when they were properly alone and at peace.

            He started humming. It was that old song Lunafreya used to play on the piano in the manor after Noctis had come to be cared for by mother, its name long lost from his memory. He’d hated it then. It was one of those strange jazz pieces the Lucians and Accordians were so fond of at the time. It had started slow and sped up at the end into a lump of incomprehensible notes that grated on his nerves, but the beginning was what Luna had loved to play. And as time went on, he couldn’t discourage her from her simple joys. If she had wanted to play jazz on the piano then he would have swallowed his complaints and complimented her flow between notes.

            Oddly enough, it seemed to fit here in the dusky light of Ezania’s office as he started to lead her through a step. Perhaps he just hadn’t understood enough to appreciate the strange beauty in the music before. Perhaps he subconsciously thought of Luna and how she would have liked his partner. Regardless, he hummed, and she smiled, and they danced as twilight settled along the sky.

***

            He went to the airfield to see her off in the morning. He understood she was only to be gone for a few days, but it hurt his heart to know that there’d be no chance of him bumping into her. And it wasn’t like she was a civilian going off on vacation somewhere safe. She was a rebel leader- a wanted criminal in the eyes of the Empire, and the sister base was much closer to Nifelhiem controlled land than this one was.

            She seemed surprised to see him standing there when she arrived with Captain Tueli and their entourage. He gave a small wave across the space, feeling his heart shudder when she turned and excused herself from the small group of leaders to cross the hanger.

            “What are you doing here?” she smiled as she jogged up to him.

            “I’ve come to see you off, and to wish you a safe journey,” he said, bowing his head slightly for the sake of their observers across the way.

            “That’s sweet of you, I appreciate the thought.”

            “Do promise me you will try to be careful,” he requested, taking her hand. “I wouldn’t know what to do with myself if you were to somehow be hurt.”

            “I doubt I’ll cause any scenes like you and King Noctis at Sha Turn,” she giggled, reaching up to peck him on the cheek. He could see the entourage’s collective look of disbelief from over her shoulder. “Don’t worry; I’ll be back before you know it.”

            “I should hope so, otherwise I may go mad from missing you.”

            “You’re ridiculous,” she laughed.

            “Only for you,” he smiled, pressing a kiss to her fingers before letting go, waving as they loaded into the ship and took off into the sky.

***

            Sylleblossoms spread into the sunset, their blue petals swirling softly in the breeze. Fenestala Manor rose from the earth to the north, and everything was so sharply, unconditionally, irrefutably _home_ that he could feel any lingering stress from his day fade into nothing. And standing in the center of it all were the three people he’d been longing to see the most.

            “Ravus,” greeted one. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you stand so freely.”

            “And what a dashing young man you’ve become,” another smiled.

            “Could it be because you found something you were missing?” teased the third.

            It felt like being a child again, running into his parents’ room as soon as they got home from their meetings to tell them about all the things he and his sister had been up to that day. He had that same giddy excitement as he stood there, in a dreamland of sylleblossoms with his strong father, his gracious mother, and his wonderful little sister.

            “How?” was all he could choke out past the lump forming in his throat.

            “Oh darling,” Queen Sylvia crooned, stepping forward. “We were always here.” She brushed his hair back like she had when he was little, wiping away a stray tear in the process.

            “And we will stay here until the time comes for us all to be together again. You’re a Nox Fleuret, son,” his father said with quiet pride. “Our family stays strong as one solid unit, regardless of what befalls us individually.”

            “And we rejoice when our beloved family heir finds himself someone with which to share his life,” Lunafreya grinned.

            “From the joy in your heart we can tell she is a fine girl,” his mother cut in. “She suits you in many ways.”

            “You approve?” Ravus laughed, a few more happy tears leaking from his eyes.

            “We do,” his father said, putting one hand on his wife’s shoulder and the other on his daughter’s. “It may have taken you a while to commit, but you’ve made us proud son. The fight is not yet over, but we hope when all is said and done you’ll be able to live a happy life with her by your side.”

            “We haven’t much longer,” Lunafreya said forlornly. “Come, tell us about her.”

            The ushered him deeper into the meadow, listening with rapt attention as he recounted the stories of a fallen prince and the woman who changed his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> FLUFFFFFF. This fic is my therapy for litterally everything.
> 
> Also- we have some art coming for this fic! I'll post it in the notes of both this and the main fic when its done, so keep your eyes peeled!


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